Steam-heating system.



P. E. SIEBENMANN.

STEAM HEATING SYSTEM.

3 SHEBTS-SHEET 1.

F. E. SIEBENMANN.

STEAM HEATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23, 1906.

Patented May 11, 1909.

3 SHEETSSEEET 2 Svwentoz ELSUQTVIVWNQNVVL) P. E. SIEBENMANN,

STEAM HEATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.23, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented May 11, 1909.

. therewith. Fig. 2 is aside eie at-ion'of a steam bowler furnace; a vacuum chamber and d Thisiiiv ention relates to improvements in --steam'-he'at1ng systems, and partlcularly to mecha'nis'm for creating f and holding a vacua boi ler furnace, radiators; steam pipes for in said chamber, and means-for exhaustl tiens, combinations and arrangements of 'nrr cleric.

FREDERICK E. SIEBENMANN, or DENvEncoLonADo.

STEAM-HEATING SYSTEMQ unscrew Specification 0:! Letters Patent.

Patented Ma i 1, 1 909..

Application sfiled Nove i11ber;23;1906. Serial Ho. 344,761.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it knownthat I, FREDERICK E. SI'EBElSI- MANN, a citizen of the United S tates, residing at Denver, in thecoun'ty of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Heating Systems; and I 'do hereby declare the following to be a'full, clear, and exact description of the invention,- such as will enable others skilled inthe artto'which it appertains to make and use the same.

umin the ail-pipesthereof.

The invention comprises the production of conveying "steam from the boiler ,to the ra dieters; air pipesconnected to -the radiators and means-connected to the said sir i es for creating and maintaining asu'bstantiafvacw um in said air pipes, and also in said radiators. 1

The obiect in View is the production of a vacuum chamber connected with the return pipe of the steam heating system, and also connected with the air pipes ofsaidsystem, means for permitting the creation-of a vacuing air from the air pipes of said heating system and means for permitting the expulsion efair from said vacuum chamber; I

a ivi th these and other objects in view the invention comprises certain tn'ovei construcparts as itvill befhe'reinafter more iully described and claimed. I r

In the accompanying drawifngsz Figure' 1 is a diagrammatic View 'showing'a heati system with a vacuum chamber conneote' connecting means. Fig. 3 is a werticalsection through a vacuum chamber torminga part of the present invention. 4 is a side elevation of a vacuum chamber forming a 1 art of'tlie present invention.

eferring snore particularly to the drawingsflino'licates' a steam boiler of any desired type. Connected to the boils-ital is a. stear nlpape 2 which is adapted to supply 'any desired number 0f radiators '3 with steam..

. As shown in Fig. 1 the pipe 2 rises fromthe b oiler and the several radiators '3 are in commum-cation therewith and receive; steamq therefrom; That a reater number of ra dieters maybe supp ied ,a pipe'4 branchesther efrom and leads to other radiators, it being understood that pipes 2 and 4, need notbe parallel except arranged substantially in parallel 'horizontalz lanes. The pipe 4 may e of any a proved form and extend to any approved is' tan ce and communicates -by means ofthepipe 40 with the bottom of'the boiler '1. The pipe 40 communicates ar ange the pipe 10) aviththe vacuum chamber Er as wells-s with the bottom of-th'e boiler and serves as a pipe to return the Water-of condensation from *the several radiators to the boilers and to the vacuum chamber as hereinafter described; Oonnected to"the steam.

pipe 2 is an equalizing pipe 6 that is connected to a pipe? in any approved manner as by a T- 'coup ing and communicates with the bottom ofthe boiler by the means connecti g the *pi e 40 therewith. Interposed in e .pipe 7 etweenthe pipe 6 and the pipe-40 are a manually operated valve 8 and echeck valve-'9. v

The pipe 7 is connected with a pipe 1-0 which 1n turn is connected with the lower part of the vacuum chamber j The return pipe-40 is also connected toythe pipe 10 as clearly seen in Figz;'2 of tl16- d1&W"lHgS. A hancl'operated 'valve '11 is pomtioned on pipe 10 so as to prevent the return of the condensed steam-in pipe 40 from-entering exhaust chamber 5 whenever -iesirable. fUnder ordinary circumstances the val ve llgis left open so as to permit the water from the condensed steam in pipe 40 tofi'ee'l enter t'he vacuum charnber'jt Bythus' a lowing the Water in the pipe 40 t'o-freelyenter the chamber 5 the water in, the chamber 5 is always kept waflnjbythe returned condens-ed steam. The cooler water in the chamber 5 together withsome of the Water in the pipe 40 will pass throuph the valves 8 and Band pipe Tinto the boi er' 1. As 'the WLt'61f passes through valve 9 it will h'exzornpe'lled to liitthe check vailve 9 as it' ptisses therethroug h'. This offers a sli ehtresistance which assists in permitting the heated "water of condensation in pipe i to first enter the vacuum chamber-5 as it is easier toyen'ter chamber-5 than to-enter the boiler 1 against the action of the velvet).

' Connected to the upper end of the vacuum chambert is a pipe 12 which in turn i's'connec'ted to thesteam pipe 4. A valve 1'3 is positioned at any convenient poirit along pipe 12 for closing the same so as to allow .wate'r therein is slightly less t an mto the' steam to enter the chamber'5 from pipe 4 the whenever desired and to shut off said steam.

whenever desired.

The vacuum chamber 5, as more clearly seen in Fi s. 3 and 4, is preferably castin one piece and as formed integrally therewith an auxiliary chamber or pipe 14. The auiriliary pipe is open at 15 and 16. The opening 16 1s used principally, in' cleaning the chamber 14. .Thenpening 15 is connected withthe air riipes fl that are used in connection with eating system.- The air system is preferably connected at this point to the chamber 5 in order that any steam that may have gotten into the air pipes and condensed will assdownwardly through the chamber 14 an enter the bottom of chamber 5. As the water in the chamber 5 is always warm, cold water at the to is undesirable and .the provision of the cham er 14 will, as will be clearly seen from f the drawings, effectually direct the co d water to the bottom of the chamber 5. Connected to the chamber 5 is a gage 18 for showing the hei ht' of the water in the cham- Positioned upon the top of the chamber 5 1s a smaller. chamber or receptacle 19 which communicates with the vacuum chamber 5 through an opening 20. Anopening 21 is provided at the top of the chamber or receptacle 19, and in operation is closed by any suitable means as a plug 22 which extends downward into the receptacle 19 and is adapted to close the, opening 20 when forced down to its farthermost limit. Connected to the receptacle 19 at the opening 23 is a pipe 24 that is provided with a check valve 25. The valve 25 permits the air or other gas under pressure contained in the receptacle 19 to exhaust at that point, or a pipe 26-may be connected to the 'valve 25 and extend charge.

As the steam begins to fill the radiators 3, the same will condense as is well known, and return to the boiler 1. The return of the condensed steam as warm water is utilized in operating the vacuum producing mechanism and for creating intermittently a rarefaction in the chamber 5. As the condensed steam returns through pipe 4 in the form of heated water it passes from thence up into the vacuum 0 amber 5 and keeps the water in vacuum chamber 5 at the same level as in the boiler -1 and at a temperature only to any convenient place of dissIightly below the;temperature of the water in bo r 1. the water in the vacuum chamber 5 cools it will by reason of being .heavier than the water in the pi e 40 pass directly to the boiler 1 but a sufficient quan-. t1ty of the water usually pass into the chamber.

,chamber will assist in this.

chamber 5 as the warm water is lighter than the cold and the resistance of the assageof the boiler 1. In this way the water in the chamvapor in chamber 5. As the =water' in the chamber 5 gives off vapor it will fill or partially fill the chamber and force out of'check valve 25 air from the upper part of the Asthe air is',forced out of the check valve 25 and is displaced by :vapor in the chamber 5 the pressure will be reduced and theva or being cooled by coming in contact wit the coolenupper surface of the chamber 5 will cause a comparatively heavy condensation and a consequent I'itIlfication. The'steam or vapor that is-in the chamber 5 is saturated with moisture so that the slightest reduction of pressure by the escape of air from the valve 25 will permit the vapor to come in contact with the cooler portions of the chamber and cause condensation of the vapor. The vacuum thus caused will permit the air, if any, in pipes 17 and radiators 3 to enter chamber 5. The rush of cold air into the chamber 5 condensing the vapor therein will hinder or stop for ashort time the production of vapor from the water contained in chamber 5. By thus stopping the vapor the chamber 5 is almost entirely filled with air; After the valve27 closes by the filling of the chamber 5 the warm water in the chamber 5 will begin to heat the air thathas been forced therein and also will give off vapor which, as will be evident, will create a pressure in the cham. I

ber 5. This pressurewillin turn be permitted to exhaust through valve 25into the atmoiphere. The air as, it enters from pipe 17 wi kee the upper part of the chamber 5 cool and a so the air on the outside ofthe As will be observed the upper part of the chamber 5 is surrounded by air on the outside and contains ,air comparatively cool on the inside. This rovides a chamber withan u per portion that is comparatively cool an a lower portion, that" is comparatively 'warm, the ower p'ortionbeing kept warm by the warm water contained therein. As the vapor continues to rise from the water to force out the air in the upperpart of the chamber from the second influx thereof it will rise until it has forced out part'of the air, and willbythe exhausting of air through valve 25 allow the vapor to expand and again come in con tact with the upper, cooler part of the chamber 5, the actlon being constantly and rapidly repeated.

he warm water in the. returnrlpipe '4 1s adapted to keep the water in the c amber 5 warm at all times, while the system'is in o eration. This will ermit of the water in c amber 5 to giveo vapor as above described." Under some circumstances steam,

vacuum chamber 5 are intermittent.

amount of air and the amount of vapor are will enter the air pipes 17, and in such instances will, of course, condense andis adapted to enter the au 'iliary chamber 14 and pass downward theret rough into the bottom of chamber 5, while the cold air-will pass into the upper part of the chamber. During the operation of the heating system the product1on ofvapor and the influx of air=into tfie T e comparatively small, as after the system has been once put in operation the pipes 17 and the radiators 3 are ke t at a substantial vacuum at all times by t e continuous automatic operation of the condensing of the steamin chamber 5 and then rising of the steam orvapor in said chamber for the expulsion of cold air therefrom. By the roduction of a vacuum chamber 5 that will automatically operate as above described, any air that may be permitted to enter any of the radiators 3 or may be formed therein will be removed immediately. This will keep the radiators free for the entrance of steam from the boiler 1 even though the pressure therein may be very low.

In practical operation it has been found that by providing a device accordingto the present invention the radiators will not cool off entirely for about four or five hours after the fire has been left to die out. After the system has been started as described, and then the fire in the steam boiler furnace 1 permitted to die out, a vacuum will be left in the radiators 3 so that when the fire is again started steam will be easily forced into the radiators 3. If the radiators 3 are found to contain a considerable amount of air, steam may be permitted to enter the vacuum chamber5 through the pipe 12 and then allowed to condense for forming a'vacuum in chamber 5. This will Withdraw air from the radiators 3 as above described If desired, t -e radi ators may also be supplied with automatic air valves.

If desired, steam from the pipe 4may be permittedto enter the vacuum chamber 5 by opening the valve 13. After the chamber 5 has been filled with steam from the steam pipe 4, valve 13 is closed and the'steam in the vacuum chamber 5 is permitted to condense which will cause vacuum therein. The production of the vacuum in the chamber 5 will cause the valve 25 to be tightly closed but the valve 27 to open and draw into the chamber 5 air from the air pipe 17 and the radiators 3. After the vacuum 1n the chamber 5 has been destroyed by the influx of air, steam may again'be forced into the chamber by. openingvalve 13. By thus admitting steam under pressure mto chamber 5 it will force out the air therein through valve 25. After the chamber 5 has been filled with steam and all the air therein forced out the valve 13 is closed and the steam in the chamber 5 is allowed to be produced as above described.

This operation is continued until all the air in the radiators 3 and the pipes 17 has been removed so as to permit steam from the steam pipe 2 to enter the'radiators 3 at atmospheric pressure or below atmospheric pressure; I By thus removing the air from the radiators the steam in entering the same will not be compelled to force the air therefrom and consequently resisted thereby. By thus producing a partial vacuum in the radiators the steam from pipe 2 is ermitted to enter the same easily. After t e heating system has been started in this manner the same will operate automatically as described in the preferred construction and operation.

It is to be distinctlyunderstood that the use of the valve 13 and steam from the steam pipe 4 is sirnply'an adjunct to the present invention and used only to hasten the action of the automatic vacuum chamber. As will be evident the vacuum chamber will operate automatically and the use of steam injected directly into the same is simply to hasten the action, and may be used if desired, but is not essential to the automatic operation of the invention.

- A system of heating as provided with the vacuum chamber of the'present invention will be adapted to supply steam at all times to the radiators 3 at a ower pressure than if the steam was designed to be forced directly into the radiator against any air that might be contained therein, and in fact steam may be supplied to the radiators at a pressure below atmospheric pressure on account of the vacuum or substantial vacuum in the radiators and air pipes connected thereto. After the system has once been operated and the fire in the steam boiler 1 is kept going even slightly, it will keep the water in the vacuum chamber 5 warm enough to automatically remove any air that might find its way into the radiators 3 or air pipes 17.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is1-- r 1. in a steam heating system, a boiler, radiating devices connected therewith, a

vacuum chamber, means for conducting conair from the radiating devices to the chamber, above the water line, and bringing the air into direct contact with the walls of the upper portion of the chamber and with the vapor arising from such condensed steam, thereby producing a partial vacuum by the condensation of the vapor, and means per- 'from the radiating devices to the chamber above the water line and bringing the air into direct contactwith the walls of the upper portion of the chamber and with the vapor arising from such condensed steam, thereby producing a partial vacuum by the condensation of the vapor, means permitting the expulsion of air from above a stratum of the vapor by the pressure ot such vapor, and means for preventlng water from entering theupper portion of the chamber through the air inlet.

3. In a steam heating system, a boiler,

radiating devices connected therewith, a

vacuum chamber, means for conducting condensed steam to the lower portion of the chamber from the return main and maintaining the temperature of said lower portion substantially constant, means independent of said first mentioned means for conducting air from the radiating devices to the chamber, above the water line, and bringing the air into direct contact with the walls of the upper portion of the chamber and with the vapor arising from such condensed steam, thereby producing a partial vacuum by the condensation of the vapor, means permitting the expulsion of air from above a stratum of the vapor by the pressure of such vapor, means for preventing water from entering the upper portion of the chamber through the air in at and for conducting the water from the air pi es directly to the lower portion of the chem er.

4. In a steam heating system, a boiler, ra-

. dieting devices connected therewith, a vacuum chamber, means for conducting con-' densed steam to the lower portion of the chamber from the return main and maintaining the temperature of said lower portion substantially constant, means independent oi said first mentioned means for conducting 'air from the radiating devices to the. chamber, above the water line, and bringing the air mto direct contact with the walls of the upper portion of the chamber and with the vaporarising from such condensed steam, thereby producing a partial vacuum by the condensation of the vapor, means permitting taining the temperature of said lower portion substantially-constant, means independent of said first mentioned means for conducting air from the radiating devices to the chamber, above the water line, and bringing the air into direct contact with the walls of the upper portion of the chamber and with the vapor arising from such condensed steam, thereby producing a partial vacuum by the condensation of the vapor, means permitting the expulsion of air from above a stratum of the vapor by the pressure of such vapor, and a pipe for supplying live steam to the upper portion of the chamber at the beginning of the operation.

6. In a steam heating system, a boiler, radiating devices connected therewith, a vacuum chamber, means 'for conducting condensed steam to the lower portion of the chamber from the return main and maintaining the temperature of said lower portion substantially constant, means independent of said first mentioned means for conducting air from the radiating devices to the chamber above the water line, and bringing the air into direct contact with the walls of the upper portion of the chamber and with the vapor arising from such condensed steam, thereby producing a partial vacuum by the condensation of the vapor, means permitting the expulsion of air from above a stratum of the vapor by the pressure of such vapor, a return pipe and a pipe leading therefrom connected with the boiler and the vacuum chamber.

7. The combination of a boiler, radiating devices. means connecting said devices with the boiler, a vacuum chamber connected with said means, an air pipe communicating with the radiators, said vacuum chamber conrprising a main chamber and supplementhe air pipe. leading from the radiators, an

upper supplementary chamber above the main vacuum chamber and connected therewith an opening in one 01 the sidewalls of the with by a suitable passage-Way provided upper chamber. y m

with a valve seat, said upper chamber hav- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature ing an opening in its upper wall in alinement in presence of two witnesses.

with the opening connected with the main FEEDERICK E. SIEBENMANN. chamber, a screw plug threaded in the upper Witnesses:

opening, said plug adapted to engage the ISABEL M. STRONG,

valve seat, and an an" exhaust pipe connected CABLE VVHITEHEAD. 

